More Than A Shirt
Longlisted for the 2025 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award
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More Than A Shirt
Narrated by:
Joey D'Urso
Buy Now for £12.99
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Narrated by:
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Joey D'Urso
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By:
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Joey D'Urso
About this listen
A GUARDIAN SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025
A WATERSTONES SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025
'This is a marvellous football book, although it is much more than that.' The Times
'More Than A Shirt shows why geopolitics keeps invading the pitch.' The Economist
'D'Urso's simple conceit offers a sparklingly fresh snapshot' The Guardian
'Extensively researched and wonderfully written, Joey's book deserves to be read by all' Martin O'Neill
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Twenty-Two Football Shirts that explain the world, geopolitics and the biggest stories of our time
Football is the world's most popular sport, and the shirts worn by teams and their supporters are its greatest means of cultural expression. Every year clubs launch new kits with increasingly extravagant marketing campaigns and convoluted explanations of how their designs reflect their history and local community. But football shirts are much more than just a symbol of which club we support. A seemingly innocuous combination of colours, sponsor logos and materials can all reflect the social values, financial struggles and political ideologies of the day, as geopolitical issues increasingly seep into every aspect of the game.
Investigative journalist Joey D'Urso has travelled across the globe, combining on-the-ground reporting with unparalleled analysis to collate a list of the twenty-two football shirts that best explain the modern world. More Than A Shirt will take fans on a journey from Birmingham to Belgrade and onto Medellin and Mumbai, outlining how we can see the war in Ukraine in the shirt of Schalke in Germany or China's foreign policy in West Bromwich Albion's; how the shirts of state-owned clubs are used for sportswashing; and why the French national kit embodies worldwide migration patterns.
A compelling and eye-opening exploration, More Than A Shirt is essential reading for any football fan and will change the way you think about the beautiful game's most universal symbol.
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'Thoroughly resourceful and revealing' Jon Spurling, FourFourTwo
'Intelligent, thoughtful and brilliant' Chris Mason
'Original and innovative... a "Parts Unknown" for the game' Miguel Delaney
'Smart, warm and original' Matt Chorley, BBC Radio 5 Live©2025 Joseph d’Urso
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Critic reviews
This is a marvellous football book, although it is much more than that. (Roger Alton)
There's more to every aspect of football than meets the eye, and that's brilliantly captured here.
Joey D'Urso is a fresh voice and a tireless reporter, who takes the reader from China to Colombia via Nottingham. He's the first person to use football shirts to explain the world, and does it convincingly. Kudos and respect.
Extensively researched and wonderfully written, Joey's book deserves to be read by all.
Without question, Joey is one of the most intelligent and thoughtful journalists I've ever worked with. This book encapsulates Joey's brilliance as a journalist: big thinking and relatable - local, global, political, sporting. What does a rectangle-ish of colourful, sweaty polyester tell you about the contemporary world? One heck of a lot, it turns out - about belonging and identity yes, but geopolitics and economics too. This book is a brilliant idea, brilliantly researched and brilliantly written.
Smart, warm and original... it will make politics nerds think differently about football, and football fans think differently about the world.
One of the most original and innovative football books in some time, a "Parts Unknown" for the game, as well as football business and football culture. Joey's unique writing is perfect for that Bourdain role. You might be familiar with some of the shirts, but some of the stories from the brilliant on-the-ground reporting within will astound you. A book that will both enthral and seriously educate.
Oligarchs, petro-states, narcotrafficantes, are just a few of the characters running football these days. Starting with football kits, Joey D'Urso brilliantly maps the political and economic interest that have come to colonise their iconography and the game as a whole. After you have read this book, "playing for the shirt" will never sound the same again.
A day at the football is usually an escape from politics - but Joey D'Urso's revealing reporting reminds us that it's never quite so simple. This colourful book is a treat for anyone interested in both... or neither.
After reading this thoroughly resourceful and revealing book, you will never look at football shirts in the same way again. (Jon Spurling)
A meticulously researched book that reveals plenty about football and even more about the modern world.
One of the best books on football I have ever read.
Whether you binge it or snack on it, if you like football, football shirts, history or politics, you'll find lots to love in this eye-opening and insightful book, and you'll feel smarter for having read it. Fascinatingly detailed and painstakingly researched, with a real passion for the beautiful game - especially watching matches of all levels at stadia across the globe - that shines through.
Fascinating and unique
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The great reporting and research
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Very disappointed
Intriguing premise, mediocre result
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